The amendments were supported by a broad coalition of over one
hundred horse breeding, showing, and racing organizations such as the
National Show Horse Registry, the National Thoroughbred Racing
Association, and Churchill Downs-as well as numerous horse welfare and
humane organizations across the country.

Congressional offices were flooded with calls from constituents
urging their support of the amendment, and newspapers across the country
editorialized in its favor.

The Amendment passed the House on June 8, 2005 by a landslide vote of 269-158.

The identical Senate Amendment was also overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 69-28 on September 20, 2005.

Section 794 of the final FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Act
prohibited USDA from using congressionally appropriated funds to pay for
federally mandated inspection of horses prior to slaughter.
Specifically, Section 794 states: Effective 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, none of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. Â§ 603) or under the guidelines issued under section 903 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.

Â On November 10, 2005, President Bush signed this provision into law as part of the FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Act.Slaughterhouse Petition

Shortly thereafter, the three horse slaughter plants operating in
the U.S. submitted an emergency rule making petition to the USDA
requesting that the agency promulgate an expedited rule to provide
"fee-for-service" inspections for horse slaughter.

The proposal asked the USDA to circumvent Congress' intent to
prohibit horse slaughter inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection
Act by creating an entirely new regulatory inspection scheme for horses
under the Agricultural Marketing Act.

Petitioners also requested that this new regulatory system be put in place without prior public notice and comment rule making.

Congressional Requests regarding Implementation of Congress's Mandate

On December 1, 2005, unaware of the pending petition,
Representatives Whitfield, Sweeney, and Spratt and Senator Byrd wrote to
the USDA to ensure that it would follow Congress' intent to prevent
horse slaughter for human consumption.

The USDA responded December 21, 2005 informing the Congressmen and
Senator that the Appropriations Act "does not prevent horse slaughter at
all," and that "notwithstanding the prohibition on expenditure of
funds" mandated by Congress in the Act, the USDA believed it could still
provide inspection of horses on a "fee-for-service" basis.

The USDA then issued a new regulation allowing the slaughterhouses
to implement a "fee for service" horse inspection program. This
regulation permits these European-owned companies to continue butchering
tens of thousands of horses, circumventing the amendment that Congress
passed barring the use of federal funds to inspect horses destined for
slaughter for human food.

In January, 40 members of the U.S. House and Senate wrote to USDA
Secretary Mike Johanns demanding that the agency stop all horse
slaughter inspections on March 10, 2006, as required by the law that
Congress passed. "The agency must cease inspection of horses for
slaughter. Failure to do so constitutes willful disregard of clear
Congressional intent on the part of the USDA," the letter said. "The
agency has absolutely no authority to circumvent a Congressional mandate
and effectively rewrite an unambiguous law at the request of the
horse-slaughter industry." (Letter from members of Congress to USDA,
January 17, 2005).

Litigation for Proper Enforcement of FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Amendment
The HSUS and others filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the
District of Columbia, and sought a temporary restraining order to block
the USDA's new regulation from going into effect, a motion that the
Judge denied.

A federal district court ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture
on March 29, 2007 to stop inspecting horses about to be slaughtered at
the Cavel International slaughter plant, effectively closing the last
operating horse slaughtering operation in the United States. The order
was stayed pending appeal, allowing Cavel to temporarily reopen.

Passage of Authorizing Legislation (H.R. 503) on House Floor

On July 25, 2006 the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a
hearing on H.R. 503, with four witnesses in favor and four opposed to
the legislation. T. Boone Pickens testified in favor of H.R. 503,
describing horse slaughter as America's dirty secret."

On July 27, 2006, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on
H.R. 503 with no witnesses in favor and two panels of witnesses opposed
to the legislation. The Committee took votes on multiple amendments that
would gut the intent of the legislation, including amendments making
the states of New York and Kentucky pilot programs for the legislation.

On September 7, 2006, the House of Representatives voted on H.R.
503, passing it by a 263-146. Two poison pill amendments were defeated
prior to passage (King amendment 149-256 and Goodlatte amendment
177-229)

H.R. 503 was received in the Senate on September 8, 2006. Read the
first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First
Time.

H.R. 503 was read the second time on September 11, 2006. Placed on
Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 603.

H.R. 503 was returned to the House September 18, 2006 pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1011 by Unanimous Consent.

Papers were returned to House on September 19, 2006 pursuant to H. Res. 1011.

H.R. 503 was received in the Senate on September 20, 2006,read for the
first time, and placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the
First Time.

H.R. 503 was read the second time on September 21, 2006 and placed on
Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 631.

Senate adjourned September 29, 2006 prior to the election.

Texas and Illinois State Law Timeline

April 18, 2007 - The Illinois House of Representatives
approves H.B. 1711 to ban the slaughter of American horses in Illinois
for human consumption overseas, by nearly a two-to-one margin, a vote of
74-41.

May 16, 2007 - The Illinois Senate approves legislation to ban horse slaughter by a vote of 39-16.

May 21, 2007 - The United States Supreme Court refuses
to hear an appeal by the horse slaughter industry in Texas. The industry
sought review of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision upholding
a 1949 Texas statute that bans horse slaughter.

September 21, 2007 - A 3-judge panel from the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit unanimously upholds the Illinois state
law banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption in that state.

June 16, 2008 - The U.S. Supreme Court refuses to overturn
the Seventh Circuit decision upholding the Illinois state ban on horse
slaughter for human consumption.

Currently, there are no equine slaughterhouses in the U.S. - all of
the three remaining foreign-owned plants were closed by state laws and
federal court decisions upholding those laws in 2007. According to the
USDA, horses from other countries were imported and slaughtered in the
U.S. as a routine matter. In 2007, only 29,000 horses were slaughtered
in the U.S. prior to the closure of the last three plants, but horse
exports for slaughter increased greatly, to 79,000. As of today's date,
the slaughter of American horses for human consumption has increased by
5% (44,972 ytd in 2007 vs. 47,399 ytd in 2008) over last year,
indicating a massive increase in the export of our horses to Mexico and
Canada (retrieved on July 25, 2008 from http://www.statcan.ca/trade/scripts7/tradesearch. cgi and http://www.ams.usda/mnreports/al-ls635.txt)
_______________________________________Public comments against horse slaughter
"Most Americans were horrified when they learned several years ago
that Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand had been killed for human
consumption in Japan. Horses are not raised as livestock in this
country, and this time, Congress must ensure that there is no loophole
for denying them the protection that the public clearly wants them to
have." Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky, July 23, 2006
"The horse has always held a hallowed place in our national identity,
much like the bald eagle. And just as no American would consider
ordering up a bald eagle, if only out of respect, so would none ask for a
horse steak.... Certain veterinary groups, rather ironically, oppose
the amendment. They claim that it is humane to put aging or
neglected horses out of their misery. But if anyone actually saw how
these noble beasts are slaughtered -- strung up by their hind legs and
bled -- they might think twice before supporting such conduct." Washington Times, September 15, 2005
"... no horse is currently safe from that fate. Ferdinand, the 1986
Kentucky Derby winner, was killed in a Japanese slaughterhouse when his
stud services were no longer needed. This past spring, 41 wild mustangs
were slaughtered for food in a Texas plant after being purchased through
a program meant to give them new homes." Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky September 13, 2005
"Horse slaughter has no place in the United States....Horse meat for
human consumption hasn't been sold in the United States for decades and
isn't even used in pet food here. If a horse is near the end of its
useful life, there are more humane ways for an owner to get rid of it.
Adoption groups offer horses a peaceful retirement, and if the horses
need to be euthanized, it can be done painlessly and humanely for a
couple hundred dollars. St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Bay, September 13, 2005
"The bond between horses and humans is as close as the connection
between dogs or cats and their owners. The horse meat industry is not a
vital part of the American economy. We hope the Senate will pass this
humane amendment." Charlston Gazette, West Virginia, September 13, 2005
"Long-established neighbors living adjacent to the plant cannot
open their windows or run their air conditioners without enduring the
most horrific stench. Children playing in their yards do so with the
noise of horses being sent to their deaths in the background. Landowners
have difficulty securing loans to develop their property....As a
community leader where we are directly impacted by the horse slaughter
industry, I can assure you the economic development return to our
community is negative. The foreign-owned companies profit at our expense -- it is time for them to go." -Mayor Bacon, Kaufman, Texas (Dallas Crown "hometown")